Royal Mail accused of trying to crush workers' union

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Royal Mail accused of trying to crush workers' union after leaked plans suggest changes that will cost thousands of jobs - exclusive

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Royal Mail was last night accused of trying to crush the workers' union after a damning document revealed it plans to bulldoze through changes that will cost thousands of jobs.

The paper, leaked to the Mirror, outlines proposals to bypass CWU negotiators who are determined to bring the dispute to an end without posties being axed.

And it warns that any lengthy strike by staff will reflect badly on management by giving the impression that they are not in control of the situation.

The document, marked Strictly Confidential, says: "Putting transformation on hold because of non-agreement is not an option.

"A new relationship with our people is non-negotiable and will happen anyway, with or without union agreement."

CWU leaders reacted with horror when shown the paper, dated September 24.

General secretary Billy Hayes last night urged ministers to intervene, claiming it made a mockery of recent peace talks and showed the company, with Adam Crozier as chief executive, wanted to "smash the union".

He said: "A Labour government can't stand by and let the management of a business it owns trample all over workers and trample all over a trades union."

A senior CWU insider added: "This is dynamite.

"They keep stamping on every olive branch we offer them, now we know why. It looks as if there is a hidden agenda to defeat the union."

The bombshell plans were revealed as the CWU announced two days of national strikes next Thursday and Friday in protest at a pay freeze and cuts to jobs and services.

The paper says: "A prolonged dispute leads to a sense of management's inability to control the situation."

And it reveals they should consider suspending some services during a strike to "limit volume and backlogs which are unplanned and more damaging".

The guidance for the firm's negotiators also talks about ending the concessions which give CWU reps time off for union business, at a cost of £18million a year to Royal Mail.

The document suggests scrapping the current industrial relations framework, replacing it with the "legal minimum".

But Royal Mail last night insisted its directors were unaware of the document and denied planning to defeat the union.

A spokesman said: "Royal Mail's strategy in the current dispute is to reach agreement so that the CWU calls off its damaging and irresponsible strikes.

"For the avoidance of any doubt Royal Mail has never had any strategy to derecognise the CWU and nor would we seek to do so."

Royal Mail managing director Mark Higson branded next week's strikes a "slap in the face" for long-suffering customers.

The Government has proposed to part-privatise Royal Mail. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson claims it is the only way it will survive.

But the Mirror has strongly opposed any sell-off and we have backed the protests by posties.

[Wessex]

"But Royal Mail last night insisted its directors were unaware of the document and denied planning to defeat the union"

It seems a massive coincidence but some of the phrasing in the document mimics the wtl strike brief issued this week to managers to try and sway the weak-minded .If Royal Mail management are so right why would they have to lie about their intentions? :mfo :cfo

[shelanda]

Just like they said there are no bullying managers.......zero tolerence I believe is what they say yeah right I believe that too!!!!!

[NWpostie]

looks like we are going to be in for a long hard fight, it all started from the Pay and Modernisation 2007 c0ck up, it let the Genie out of the bottle and its virtually a management charter to abuse and take the p1ss, they won't want to give that up.

We have to push the fat Genie back in the Bottle, it will be difficult, it will be hard, but it is worth doing.